Family Times
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: The Original Family interacts with the Salvatore brothers. Esther makes her feelings known. Just a little one shot about an imaginary scene.


Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~X~

The dragging sounds and bumps and bangs of objects hitting walls and furniture were loud enough to disturb Esther. She glanced up from the grimoire she was studying, mystified by the origin of the noise. Klaus and Elijah had picked up the sounds long before, but were patiently waiting for their curiosity to be satisfied.

Finn entered the room dragging two vampires, each of his hands grasping a wrist. He was none too careful or gentle with the bodies.

Klaus, annoyed, slapped down the magazine he was thumbing through, and said to Finn in the old tongue, "That is an expensive oriental rug. Could you be a little more careful?"

Finn ignored him and dropped the filthy dirt and leaf strewn bodies on the now bunched up rug. The commotion drew an interested Kol and Rebekah from a nearby room.

Finn said, "I saw them in the woods talking with what I thought was the human doppelganger. I walked over and she fled, but with vampire speed. Before I could catch her, these two,"— he gestured at them—"blocked me, so I broke their necks. It must have been Katerina."

Klaus swore a blue streak in English. Fin couldn't understand the words, but guessed their intent from the intensity of his brother's voice.

Elijah merely noted. "My, my, so Katerina is still around and active. She and the Salvatore brothers are not a good mix. " He looked at his mother. "They are acquainted with a number of witches, some of them very talented."

Esther looked concerned, but not too upset.

Klaus frowned and said, "So what do we do with these annoyances?"

Finn folded his arms and shrugged.

Kol volunteered his opinion. "We've always had vampire retainers. Let's just compel them."

Elijah, leaning back in the luxurious padded armchair, spoke, "Knowing them, they are probably stuffed with vervain. We'll have to dry them out, but it might not be a bad idea. We need someone to teach Finn and Mother English."

Klaus, exasperated, burst out in English. "Really? Really? The only things Damon Salvatore exceeds at are drinking, stealing his brother's girlfriend, and sassing anyone he talks to. Finn can learn the first two from Kol, and one vampire with Damon's snotty attitude is more than enough."

This outburst had the effect of causing Rebekah to giggle, covering her hand with her mouth, and Elijah and Kol to smirk.

Kol obligingly translated for Finn and his mother. Both were amused by the tirade.

Rebekah had strolled over and sat on the arm of her mother's overstuffed chair. She now spoke in the old tongue. "Stefan is mine."

Her mother glanced at her, and Klaus smiled broadly at Esther. "Rebekah fancies our Stefan."

He then addressed his sister. "He is such a broody puss. He isn't even a good ripper anymore. How you can want someone that boring is beyond me."

Finn and Esther exchanged glances, and Finn nodded. "I felt something when I touched him."

Esther put her hand on Rebekah's arm. "Why are you drawn to him, my child?"

Rebekah frowned. "I . . I can't put my finger on it." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I was attracted first by his looks and his cocky attitude. I liked his sass and his spirit. But when I touched him, I knew . . . " She looked defiantly at her brother. "Go ahead and laugh Nik, but I knew he was the one I wanted forever."

Esther looked serious. She got up and walked over to the prone body, hands outstretched. Even though she didn't know which brother was which, she gravitated to Stefan.

Finn bent and grabbed him, pushing him into a semi sitting position. The vampire groaned and started to come around, rubbing his neck with his hand. Esther cupped his face in her hands while the rest of the family stared curiously at them.

Stefan's eyes opened and he looked straight into Esther's eyes, obviously confused. She smiled. "Your soul is pure."

"What?" he squinted at her, not sure of what he was hearing.

Elijah repeated her remark in English.

He mumbled, "That's what Emily said."

Esther looked to Elijah, who repeated it in the old language. He correctly interpreted her questioning look and asked Stefan, "Who is Emily?"

"She's dead. She's the witch who gave us our day rings and told us how to transition." He groaned and moved his head and then tried to sit all the way up. Esther helped him, all the while listening intently to his words as if she could tell the truth of them through his tone.

"She was Katherine's friend or companion until Katherine betrayed her and got her burned at the stake. She's come back to t—" Stefan abruptly stopped as if realizing he was giving away to much information.

Elijah quickly translated. Esther looked to Finn and said, "Did you feel it?"

He nodded. "Yes, like I said, I felt something when I touched him. I couldn't identify it, but now that you say what it is, I know it is true."

"And you are drawn to him?" She looked over her shoulder at Rebekah.

"Yes."

Esther smiled. "I always knew the two of you inherited my power. You would have been powerful witches if you were not vampires."

Klaus said, "So what, his soul is pure! The brothers are trouble. I say we kill them."

Esther shook her head. She watched as Damon started to revive, swearing before his eyes even opened.

She stood up and shook out her dress. "Ah, Niklaus, there is much that you still do not understand. These brothers, so like you and Elijah, so involved with the doppelgangers. Why here? Why were they born here, in the place where it all began? Why did the first doppelganger turn them? There is so much power in this town." She closed her eyes as if feeling the tendrils of power seeping from the witches burial ground. "They have a part to play in this drama. I do not yet know what it is, but I will find out." She walked over and sat again in her chair. "Never underestimate the power that can be drawn from a pure soul. We will keep the brothers alive. Stefan is yours Rebekah and Elijah, you can have the other brother."

"And what am I supposed to do with him?" he asked.

"Make him give us English lessons, and then I'm sure you can find something to do with him?" Esther smiled at her son.

Klaus snarked in English. "He can be your valet. It must be hard to keep your suits in order."

Kol, again translated for his mother and brother, and she said in the old tongue, "What an excellent idea, Niklaus. Elijah has always been a neat dresser."

Elijah gave Klaus a sour glance, which only had the effect of making him laugh happily.

The hybrid got up and sauntered over to prod the now thoroughly awake but bemused Damon with his foot. "Hey, you have a new career. You're going to be a valet and a tutor."

Damon raised his eyebrows and gave Klaus his best 'are you crazy look' which merely widened Klaus's smile. He then bent and messed up Stefan's hair, telling him, "And you my little ripper are going to be my sister's play toy. Isn't life grand?"

"Mother, if we lock them in one of the small bedrooms, would you be so obliging as to spell them in until we're sure they're vervain free?"

"Of course, Niklaus. I'm sure they'll be ready in time for your little party next week."

"Quite true. Good servants are so hard to get nowadays, and now we won't have to pay anyone to be Rebekah's date."

The four brothers laughed at Rebekah's furious expression while Esther fondly regarded her family.

Just like old times, always teasing each other.

~ FIN ~


End file.
